Psalms 12

Psalms 12:1

The Triumph of Misery

Job wonders if God does not stretch out His hand to one who is in a heap of ruins when he calls to Him because he cannot put himself out of this misery (Job 30:24). He who, in his disaster, calls to God for help – surely He will redeem him? Surely God will not keep quiet when He is called upon?

Job refers again to his earlier practice (Job 30:25; Job 29:1-25). Then he had been involved with heart and soul in the suffering of others and had shown compassion and comfort. He had “wept for the one whose life is hard” (cf. Psalms 35:13; Romans 12:15). He had done so out of sincere compassion, with sadness in his soul (cf. Isaiah 58:7; 10).

But for him there is no comforter and inner peace. This is a great disillusionment and disappointment. He does not understand why he has to endure all this and that is what makes his suffering so deep. It reminds us again of the Lord Jesus Who also complained: “Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none” (Psalms 69:20).

Job expected good because he had done good (Job 30:26). He expresses his deep disappointment that instead of the expected good, evil had come. He sits in the darkness of the misery that has entered and spread over his life, hoping for light.

He cannot understand that this is how it went with him and is inwardly in the greatest need (Job 30:27). Job 30:27 is literally: “My inward parts are boiling.” His inward parts represent his inner feelings (Isaiah 16:11). It bubbles and boils in him, there is restlessness in his soul and feverish heat in his body. He cannot reconcile himself with his misery and sorrow. It is impossible for him to remain silent in resignation. Unexpectedly the days of misery have come over him. They threatened to ruin his plans and hope for the future, and they succeeded. This makes him totally hopeless, as he shows in the last part of this chapter.

Psalms 12:2

The Triumph of Misery

Job wonders if God does not stretch out His hand to one who is in a heap of ruins when he calls to Him because he cannot put himself out of this misery (Job 30:24). He who, in his disaster, calls to God for help – surely He will redeem him? Surely God will not keep quiet when He is called upon?

Job refers again to his earlier practice (Job 30:25; Job 29:1-25). Then he had been involved with heart and soul in the suffering of others and had shown compassion and comfort. He had “wept for the one whose life is hard” (cf. Psalms 35:13; Romans 12:15). He had done so out of sincere compassion, with sadness in his soul (cf. Isaiah 58:7; 10).

But for him there is no comforter and inner peace. This is a great disillusionment and disappointment. He does not understand why he has to endure all this and that is what makes his suffering so deep. It reminds us again of the Lord Jesus Who also complained: “Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none” (Psalms 69:20).

Job expected good because he had done good (Job 30:26). He expresses his deep disappointment that instead of the expected good, evil had come. He sits in the darkness of the misery that has entered and spread over his life, hoping for light.

He cannot understand that this is how it went with him and is inwardly in the greatest need (Job 30:27). Job 30:27 is literally: “My inward parts are boiling.” His inward parts represent his inner feelings (Isaiah 16:11). It bubbles and boils in him, there is restlessness in his soul and feverish heat in his body. He cannot reconcile himself with his misery and sorrow. It is impossible for him to remain silent in resignation. Unexpectedly the days of misery have come over him. They threatened to ruin his plans and hope for the future, and they succeeded. This makes him totally hopeless, as he shows in the last part of this chapter.

Psalms 12:3

The Triumph of Misery

Job wonders if God does not stretch out His hand to one who is in a heap of ruins when he calls to Him because he cannot put himself out of this misery (Job 30:24). He who, in his disaster, calls to God for help – surely He will redeem him? Surely God will not keep quiet when He is called upon?

Job refers again to his earlier practice (Job 30:25; Job 29:1-25). Then he had been involved with heart and soul in the suffering of others and had shown compassion and comfort. He had “wept for the one whose life is hard” (cf. Psalms 35:13; Romans 12:15). He had done so out of sincere compassion, with sadness in his soul (cf. Isaiah 58:7; 10).

But for him there is no comforter and inner peace. This is a great disillusionment and disappointment. He does not understand why he has to endure all this and that is what makes his suffering so deep. It reminds us again of the Lord Jesus Who also complained: “Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none” (Psalms 69:20).

Job expected good because he had done good (Job 30:26). He expresses his deep disappointment that instead of the expected good, evil had come. He sits in the darkness of the misery that has entered and spread over his life, hoping for light.

He cannot understand that this is how it went with him and is inwardly in the greatest need (Job 30:27). Job 30:27 is literally: “My inward parts are boiling.” His inward parts represent his inner feelings (Isaiah 16:11). It bubbles and boils in him, there is restlessness in his soul and feverish heat in his body. He cannot reconcile himself with his misery and sorrow. It is impossible for him to remain silent in resignation. Unexpectedly the days of misery have come over him. They threatened to ruin his plans and hope for the future, and they succeeded. This makes him totally hopeless, as he shows in the last part of this chapter.

Psalms 12:4

The Triumph of Misery

Job wonders if God does not stretch out His hand to one who is in a heap of ruins when he calls to Him because he cannot put himself out of this misery (Job 30:24). He who, in his disaster, calls to God for help – surely He will redeem him? Surely God will not keep quiet when He is called upon?

Job refers again to his earlier practice (Job 30:25; Job 29:1-25). Then he had been involved with heart and soul in the suffering of others and had shown compassion and comfort. He had “wept for the one whose life is hard” (cf. Psalms 35:13; Romans 12:15). He had done so out of sincere compassion, with sadness in his soul (cf. Isaiah 58:7; 10).

But for him there is no comforter and inner peace. This is a great disillusionment and disappointment. He does not understand why he has to endure all this and that is what makes his suffering so deep. It reminds us again of the Lord Jesus Who also complained: “Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none” (Psalms 69:20).

Job expected good because he had done good (Job 30:26). He expresses his deep disappointment that instead of the expected good, evil had come. He sits in the darkness of the misery that has entered and spread over his life, hoping for light.

He cannot understand that this is how it went with him and is inwardly in the greatest need (Job 30:27). Job 30:27 is literally: “My inward parts are boiling.” His inward parts represent his inner feelings (Isaiah 16:11). It bubbles and boils in him, there is restlessness in his soul and feverish heat in his body. He cannot reconcile himself with his misery and sorrow. It is impossible for him to remain silent in resignation. Unexpectedly the days of misery have come over him. They threatened to ruin his plans and hope for the future, and they succeeded. This makes him totally hopeless, as he shows in the last part of this chapter.

Psalms 12:5

Everything Is Woe

Job can no longer discover a ray of light. He goes “blackened, but not by the heat of the sun” as it also can be translated (Job 30:28). This is because of the illnesses that have affected him so severely and so extensively. This is how he goes; this is how he lives, from second to second, this is how his life ends. Job feels like a lonely wanderer in the darkness, although there is a circle of people around him, even if it is at a distance. When he gets up and calls for help, his cry for help is not addressed to them. It is a general cry for help, made from the greatest need, by someone who used to be ready to help people in need.

He has become “a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches”, of animals that shun people’s company and that people loathe (Job 30:29). In the sounds they make, the howling of jackals and the moaning of ostriches, they express the sorrow and lamentation of Job (Micah 1:8). Job feels expelled from the fellowship of men and banished to these animals.

His skin has turned black and is about to fall off (Job 30:30; cf. Lamentations 4:8). His body has been torn down by festering ulcers and his bones by burning fever. All joy is gone (Job 30:31). “Harp” and “flute” are used for expressions of joy, but Job can only use them to play songs of mourning and grief (Lamentations 5:15). His voice chokes with the sobs of a crying one.

Psalms 12:6

Everything Is Woe

Job can no longer discover a ray of light. He goes “blackened, but not by the heat of the sun” as it also can be translated (Job 30:28). This is because of the illnesses that have affected him so severely and so extensively. This is how he goes; this is how he lives, from second to second, this is how his life ends. Job feels like a lonely wanderer in the darkness, although there is a circle of people around him, even if it is at a distance. When he gets up and calls for help, his cry for help is not addressed to them. It is a general cry for help, made from the greatest need, by someone who used to be ready to help people in need.

He has become “a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches”, of animals that shun people’s company and that people loathe (Job 30:29). In the sounds they make, the howling of jackals and the moaning of ostriches, they express the sorrow and lamentation of Job (Micah 1:8). Job feels expelled from the fellowship of men and banished to these animals.

His skin has turned black and is about to fall off (Job 30:30; cf. Lamentations 4:8). His body has been torn down by festering ulcers and his bones by burning fever. All joy is gone (Job 30:31). “Harp” and “flute” are used for expressions of joy, but Job can only use them to play songs of mourning and grief (Lamentations 5:15). His voice chokes with the sobs of a crying one.

Psalms 12:7

Everything Is Woe

Job can no longer discover a ray of light. He goes “blackened, but not by the heat of the sun” as it also can be translated (Job 30:28). This is because of the illnesses that have affected him so severely and so extensively. This is how he goes; this is how he lives, from second to second, this is how his life ends. Job feels like a lonely wanderer in the darkness, although there is a circle of people around him, even if it is at a distance. When he gets up and calls for help, his cry for help is not addressed to them. It is a general cry for help, made from the greatest need, by someone who used to be ready to help people in need.

He has become “a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches”, of animals that shun people’s company and that people loathe (Job 30:29). In the sounds they make, the howling of jackals and the moaning of ostriches, they express the sorrow and lamentation of Job (Micah 1:8). Job feels expelled from the fellowship of men and banished to these animals.

His skin has turned black and is about to fall off (Job 30:30; cf. Lamentations 4:8). His body has been torn down by festering ulcers and his bones by burning fever. All joy is gone (Job 30:31). “Harp” and “flute” are used for expressions of joy, but Job can only use them to play songs of mourning and grief (Lamentations 5:15). His voice chokes with the sobs of a crying one.

Psalms 12:8

Everything Is Woe

Job can no longer discover a ray of light. He goes “blackened, but not by the heat of the sun” as it also can be translated (Job 30:28). This is because of the illnesses that have affected him so severely and so extensively. This is how he goes; this is how he lives, from second to second, this is how his life ends. Job feels like a lonely wanderer in the darkness, although there is a circle of people around him, even if it is at a distance. When he gets up and calls for help, his cry for help is not addressed to them. It is a general cry for help, made from the greatest need, by someone who used to be ready to help people in need.

He has become “a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches”, of animals that shun people’s company and that people loathe (Job 30:29). In the sounds they make, the howling of jackals and the moaning of ostriches, they express the sorrow and lamentation of Job (Micah 1:8). Job feels expelled from the fellowship of men and banished to these animals.

His skin has turned black and is about to fall off (Job 30:30; cf. Lamentations 4:8). His body has been torn down by festering ulcers and his bones by burning fever. All joy is gone (Job 30:31). “Harp” and “flute” are used for expressions of joy, but Job can only use them to play songs of mourning and grief (Lamentations 5:15). His voice chokes with the sobs of a crying one.